Pedestrians are all too aware of sidewalk sheds, the makeshift plywood, sheet metal, and concrete scaffolding tunnels that shield city street walkers from debris from nearby construction projects. While the sheds are functional enough, New York believes they can be aesthetically pleasing, too.
Curbed NY reports that the New York Building Congress will hold a competition where architects and other professionals in the construction industry will submit proposals for alternative sidewalk shed designs. New York, which has nearly 200 total miles of sidewalk sheds, is seeking a concept that is practical but that also looks good.
"In the course of their daily lives, millions of New Yorkers are forced to encounter sidewalk sheds that can best be describe as dark, constrictive, and forbidding. It's time we stopped treating their design as an afterthought," Tom Scarangello, Chairman of the New York Building Congress, said in a statement.
The number of permits for sidewalk sheds in New York rose 25% from 2009 to 2014, and some sheds could stay up for several years whether construction is occurring or not. Local businesses have also been negatively affected by the sheds, and it turns out the structures aren't always safe.
The contest's four winners will be announced in September, and they will receive $10,000.
Related Stories
Building Team Awards | Jun 1, 2016
Multifamily tower and office building revitalize Philadelphia cathedral
The Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral capitalizes on hot property to help fund much needed upgrades and programs.
Building Team Awards | Jun 1, 2016
Central utility power plant takes center stage at UC San Diego Jacobs Medical Center
An undulating roof, floor-to-ceiling glass, and façade scheme give visual appeal to a plant that serves the 10-story medical center.
Architects | May 31, 2016
JLG Architects acquires Minneapolis-based Studio Five Architects
Led by Linda McCracken-Hunt, SFA is one of Minnesota’s oldest woman-owned architecture firms.
Building Team Awards | May 31, 2016
Gonzaga's new student center is a bustling social hub
Retail mall features, comfortable furniture, and floor-to-ceiling glass add vibrancy to the new John J. Hemmingson Center.
Building Team Awards | May 27, 2016
Big police academy trains thousands of New York's finest
The Police Training Academy in Queens, N.Y., consists of a 480,000-sf academic/administration building and a 240,000-sf physical training facility, linked by an aerial pedestrian bridge.
Building Team Awards | May 26, 2016
Cimpress office complex built during historically brutal Massachusetts winter
Lean construction techniques were used to build 275 Wyman Street during a winter that brought more than 100 inches of snow to suburban Boston.
Building Team Awards | May 25, 2016
New health center campus provides affordable care for thousands of Northern Californians
The 38,000-sf, two-level John & Susan Sobrato Campus in Palo Alto is expected to serve 25,000 patients a year by the end of the decade.
Architects | May 24, 2016
Lissoni Architettura’s NYC Aquatrium takes first place in New York City Waterfront Design competition
NYC Aquatrium was selected from among 178 proposals from 40 countries as the winner of Arch Out Loud’s NYC Aquarium & Public Waterfront design competition
Building Team Awards | May 24, 2016
Los Angeles bus depot squeezes the most from a tight site
The Building Team for the MTA Division 13 Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility fit 12 acres’ worth of programming in a multi-level structure on a 4.8-acre site.
Building Team Awards | May 23, 2016
'Greenest ballpark' proves a winner for St. Paul Saints
Solar arrays, a public art courtyard, and a picnic-friendly “park within a park" make the 7,210-seat CHS Field the first ballpark to meet Minnesota sustainable building standards.
